Dancing on Water

From Wind Repertory Project
Frank Ticheli

Frank Ticheli


General Info

Year: 2015
Duration: c. 7:50
Difficulty: IV (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: Manhattan Beach Music
Cost: Score and Parts - $265.00   |   Score Only - $65.00


Instrumentation

Full Score
C Piccolo
Flute I-II
Oboe I-II
Bassoon I-II
B-flat Soprano Clarinet I-II-III
B-flat Bass Clarinet
E-flat Alto Saxophone I-II
B-flat Tenor Saxophone
E-flat Baritone Saxophone
B-flat Trumpet I-II-III
Horn in F I-II-III-IV
Trombone I-II-III
Bass Trombone
Euphonium
Tuba
String Bass
Timpani
Percussion I-II-III, including:

  • Bass Drum
  • Cabasa
  • Chimes
  • Crash Cymbals
  • Glockenspiel
  • Marimba
  • Ride Cymbal
  • Snare Drum
  • Suspended Cymbal
  • Tambourine
  • Tam-Tam
  • Tom-Tom
  • Vibraphone
  • Vibra-slap
  • Wood Block
  • Xylophone


Errata

None discovered thus far.


Program Notes

The composer provides these program notes: “Dancing on Water is a joyous seven-minute tribute to my longtime friend and colleague, Richard Floyd. The work, partly inspired by Dick’s love of sailing, begins as an exuberant dance expressing feelings of unabashed joy and suggesting images of the sea on a perfect morning. This dance gives way to a heartfelt song, sung broadly by the horns and euphoniums and supported by a playful background of crisp eighth notes derived from the opening dance. This ‘song and dance’ might have been sufficient as the work’s material, but in the very center of the work appears something new — a kind of oasis, perhaps an island — a soulful interlude marked by mysterious solos and duos in the alto saxophone and clarinets. Then the work proceeds in reverse, suggesting an arch form, a return home by the same pathways, but with one final surprise. A massively full-throated coda lifts the exuberance level to new heights, driving this water journey to a powerfully exalted finish.”

Dr. Ticheli attributes his inspiration for the opening dance to the dances of Stravinsky in its crispness, orchestration, and particularly, use of accents. The image of the center section is of a boat on a calm day when the sea is like glass and the boat glides through the water. Attractive as a smooth sea is however, there is still a need for some wind in one’s sails, expressed by the playful eighth note passages interjected intermittently, just enough to keep the boat, and the piece moving.

- Program Note by composer


Media


State Ratings

None discovered thus far.


Performances

To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project

  • Texas A&M University –Commerce Wind Ensemble (Phillip L. Clements, conductor) - 12 October 2023
  • San Jose (Calif.) Wind Symphony (Craig McKenzie, conductor) - 9 October 2022
  • Penn State University (University Park) Symphonic Band (Gregory Drane, conductor) - 6 December 2021
  • The Hartt Wind Ensemble (West Hartford, Conn.) (James Jackson, conductor) - 19 November 2020
  • Foothill Symphonic Winds (Palo Alto, Calif.) (Roy Stehle, conductor) – 8 December 2019
  • University of Minnesota (Minneapolis) High School Honor Band (Emily Threinen, conductor) – 10 February 1019
  • University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire Symphony Band (Kevin Sedatole, conductor) – 16 November 2018
  • University of Minnesota (Minneapolis) University Band (Betsy McCann, conductor) – 29 October 2018
  • University of Miami (Fla.) Frost Symphonic Winds (Craig McKenzie, conductor) – 25 April 2018
  • Texas Tech University (Lubbock) University Band (Eric Allen, conductor) – 29 March 2018
  • University of Kansas (Lawrence) Symphonic Band (Paul Popiel, conductor) – 12 October 2017
  • University of California, Santa Barbara, Wind Ensemble (Paul Bambach, conductor) – 1 June 2017
  • California All-State Junior High School Symphonic Band (Michael Boltz, conductor) - 19 February 2017 (2017 CASMEC Conference, San Jose)
  • Indiana State University Wind Symphony (Nikk Pilato, conductor) - 4 October 2016
  • Austin (Tex.) Symphonic Band (Richard Floyd, conductor) – 3 April 2016
  • University of Delaware (Newark) Wind Ensemble (Chad Nicholson, conductor) – 10 March 2016 (CBDNA 2016 Eastern Division Conference, New London, Conn.)
  • Southern California All-Southern Wind Ensemble (Allan McMurray, conductor) – 26 January 2016
  • VanderCook College of Music (Chicago, Ill.) Symphonic Band (Allen McMurray, conductor) - 18 December 2015 (2015 Midwest Clinic)
  • Austin (Texas) Symphonic Band (Frank Ticheli, conductor) - 7 February 2015 - *Premiere Performance*


Works for Winds by This Composer

Adaptable Music


All Wind Works


Resources

  • Frank Ticheli website Accessed 6 July 2020
  • Jagow, Shelley M. "Dancing on Water." In Teaching Music through Performance in Band. Volume 11, Compiled and edited by Richard Miles, 333-339. Chicago: GIA Publications, 2018.